In the midsummer of July, the sky was clear and the clouds were clean. Flowers were blooming in this season, and the Imperial Garden was full of fragrance and beautiful flowers.
In the spacious pavilion beside the koi pond, a long table had been set up early, on which were exquisite incense, teapots, and desserts.
When the hour came, the concubines gathered around the table in order.
Where there were women, there were intrigue and controversy. Concubine Xu walked into the pavilion when the eunuch announced her arrival. She greeted the other concubines after paying respect to Noble Concubine Wan.
Gu Yunxi stood behind Concubine Xu's seat respectfully with a lowered head, and glanced at the long table.
She only knew three of these beautiful young women here, and the others were all strange to her.
These three women were Noble Concubine Wan, Gu Yunjin, and Sun Shengsheng who entered the Palace at the same tim
Gu Yunyao walked into the pavilion with small steps under the gaze of all people. The chief maid, Song Qin of Xiaoye Chamber followed her.Gu Yunxi stared at Gu Yunyao with nervous and concerned eyes ever since she walked into the pavilion in a hurry.Her clear, emotionless, and bright eyes were opened widely and filled with many complex moods. She missed Gu Yunyao and felt surprised, confused, and sad, which had become thin water vapour that filled her eyes.After separation for one year, Gu Yunyao's health status seemed to be very bad.Her magnificent and precious dress seemed to be very loose. It was not difficult to imagine how thin her body was under the clothes.Her hair was pulled back into a chignon, which seemed to be moving with the cloud. Two to three hair clasps were inserted into her hair at the side of her head. Her thin face was wearing heavy makeup, which could not hide her morbid countenance.
After dealing with Sun Shengsheng, the Noble Concubine Wan turned her eyes calmly to Gu Yunyao, who was kneeling at ground.Just as she was about to speak, Concubine Xu suddenly stood up. She bowed respectfully and said."Your Grace, the Xiaoye Chamber is long away from the Imperial Garden. Zhaoyi Yu has been in poor health recently, and now it's nice for her to come here and join with all the ladies here celebrating. Please Your Grace, show your mercy."There was no love and trust in the deep Palace. Among the dozens of concubines, only Concubine Xu was willing to stand out and plead for Gu Yunyao.Seeing this situation, Gu Yunxi was touched, and felt more respect for Concubine Xu.Wan Yuyao's expression darkened slightly and seemed unhappy. She quickly turned the glittering eyes towards Gu Yunyao and said in a deep voice."All right, Zhaoyi Yu is unwell. Otherwise, you could have sent a palace maid to de
"Lychee?"Madam Liao frowned and said to herself when hearing Gu Yunxi talk about the Lychee Jelly."Doesn't Concubine Xu know that the lychee is originally the fruit in season in mid-May? It is already July. How come can we get lychees now?"Aunt Li, who was next to her, pulled her sleeves and pouted lips at Gu Yunxi while suppressing a snicker.Madam Liao immediately understood when she saw Aunt Li's hint, and then she stepped back aside and said to Gu Yunxi with a gleeful delight."Hey, now that Concubine Xu ordered you to do it, you have no other choice. However, even the Concubinary Kitchen and the Imperial Kitchen don't have fresh lychees at the moment, let alone our small kitchen!"Madam Liao thought that since Concubine Xu intended to make things difficult for this newcomer, the small kitchen's other members needed not to get involved. She could simply wait and see how the girl would make lychees e
Hearing Concubine Xu’s call, Gu Yunxi put down the work in her hands, straightened her clothes and hair, and walked into the Main Hall.Concubine Xu had woken up from the nap, changed her clothes to a white long-sleeved robe, and pulled the hair back into a round bun. She was drawing in front of the desk while governor Jinzhu was standing beside her."Your Grace."Gu Yunxi bowed before the desk."Forego formalities."Concubine Xu stopped drawing, raised her clear eyes, and smiled softly at Gu Yunxi."I've tasted that Lychee Jelly with ice water. The taste was unique, but the color was different from what I usually ate. Come and tell me. Where did you get the lychee and how did you do it?"Gu Yunxi knelt on the ground with a plop, then kowtowed and said."Your Grace, please forgive me for hiding the truth."Concubine Xu already knew it in her heart. She was neither anx
"How insolent!"Leng Qingtang raised his voice and reproached. He hurried to the opposite side of the road to stop the other party.Cheng Wanli followed and held Prince Chen back with his big hands, refusing to free him despite his fit of temper.The reputation of Lord Leng, the Master of the Eastern Depot and the Seal Keeper of the Imperial Ceremony Office, had preceded him.Right now, he seemed to have suddenly emerged from under the ground, accompanied by a mighty man with a black face and many inside officers from the Imperial Ceremony Office, all of whom looked stiff and expressionless.The maid's face sank immediately as she fell on her knees.The two eunuchs who carried the bench knew that the maid from their palace was in trouble. They trembled and buried their heads low.Leng Qingtang stared at the maid in a condescending manner. His dark eyes glittered on his clouded face.
Seeing Concubine Xu was here, Gu Yunyao looked surprised but still walked to her. The two curtsied to each other and so did their servants.Then they took seat as Song Qin brought hot tea.After Concubine Xu had the tea, Gu Yunyao asked."Why did you come here overnight, sister?"Concubine Xu smiled and replied."I noticed you were coughing occasionally at Girl's Meeting. So, I have the sweet melon, snail, and fungus porridge made for you. It's the most nourishing for the lungs. Have a taste while it's hot."Gu Yunxi stepped forward in time and silently handed the food box to Zhao An.Zhao An uncovered the box and looked at the bowl of fragrant milky white porridge inside. Soon he was bewildered and startled.Placing the bowl next to his master, Zhao An subconsciously turned his head to Yunxi.Gu Yunxi noticed his scrutinizing gaze fixed on her.Fortunate
The night fell. Wearing black brocade robe, with his dark hair bunched high, Leng Qingtang was hanging around the faintly lighted street, dressed as an ordinary young man.The downtown street was busy. There was a grand lantern festival on North Street, and businesses of the other blocks were also unwilling to miss the profit opportunities during annual Girls' Day.In front of restaurants and inns, lights were hung up to greet visitors. Even those shops that usually closed their doors at sunset, such as rouge, drapery, and pastry shops, were open late tonight.As he walked, Leng Qingtang would hang some of his red ropes on the trees along the street.During the one year of Yunxi's disappearance, he wove more than 500 red ropes with his own hands without stopping every day.Tonight, he came to the street in casual clothes with two purposes. One was to organize a defense to arrest the initiator of the mannequin case. The
Gu Yunxi bent over and hid behind the steep rockery. The masked man sat cross-legged on the grass beside her, eyes closed, arms relaxed and sagging, fingers interlocked.Under the streaming moonlight, the dark shadows cast by the rockeries protected them tightly.Gu Yunxi vigilantly poked her head halfway out of the rocks to check.Soon she found two figures came into the group of rockeries and disappeared a few meters away from the rockery they hid behind.Then she heard a conversation between a young man and woman."Hurry up! I'm dying for it...""...I am still afraid...""Don't be afraid. I'm here. It's only today that we have a chance. Come on! Hurry up!"Hurry up? Were they...going to—Gu Yunxi withdrew her head in a panic. She couldn't help but feel her heart beating and her ears reddening.It was not new for a guard to have an affair with a maid in